To make a frightfully fun first impression, the door to your home must be decked out for maximum spooky effect. One way to bewitch guests is to create a creepy and colorful pumpkin display. Set out a spectacular array of pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and styles. Give the scene a glow with tiny lights set within grinning ghoulish jacks and painted glittery orbs, and finish it off with a wicked wreath. Here’s how to pull it off:
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Orange and white pumpkins
Miniature carving saw
Plaster scraper
Masking tape
Black, copper and gold spray paint
Paper
Black regular and permanent markers
Battery-powered lights
Awl
Wood gouge
Carnival lights
25 to 30 silk flowers
Wreath form
Hot-glue gun
Black floral spray
Bright gold taffeta ribbon
Flat thumbtacks
HOW-TO:
1. Set the tone with some black magic. Cut a round 3- to 4-inch-diameter hole in the bottom of larger pumpkins with the carving saw. Scrape out flesh and seeds.
2. Place pumpkins on newspaper in a well-ventilated area. Wrap masking tape around stems, then coat pumpkins with black spray paint. Let dry; remove tape.
3. Draw templates for scary pumpkin faces and cut out while pumpkins are drying. Tape templates on pumpkins. Use an awl to poke holes along the template lines and outline features. Remove template and cut out designs with saw. Place jack-o-lanterns over battery-powered lights.
4. Add sparkle to the scene by setting the small orange pumpkins atop a piece of newspaper in well-ventilated area, then coating them with glittery copper and gold spray paint. Let dry.
5. Draw swirls in a continuous design on the painted pumpkins with black permanent marker; let dry.
6. While pumpkins are drying, start on their ghostly white companions. Cut a hole in the bottom of white pumpkins. Scoop out flesh and seeds. Using a wood gouge, carve continuous spirals from top to bottom, then place over carnival lights. For variety, spray paint a few white pumpkins with gold dots; let dry. Carefully pile up black white, and shiny pumpkins on both sides of the door.
7. Finish the look with a wicked wreath, made from black spray-painted silk flowers and adorned with a ribbon bow. Attach blooms to wreath form with a hot-glue gun. Lay wreath on newspaper in a well-ventilated area. Coat wreath completely with black floral spray; let dry.
8. Cut a 4- to 5-foot-long piece of orange ribbon and make a large bow. Affix to top of wreath with hot-glue gun. To hang, cut a piece of gold ribbon to desired length. Use tacks to fasten one end to the door and the other to back of wreath form.
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Photo: Corbis Images